Switch-operating device.



No.a'as,os3. PATENTED DB0. I1, 1906.'

L. W. KNoWLIs- SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE. APPLICATION IlILED HAB. 12. 1906.

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No. 338.033. PATBNTBD DB0. 11, v1906.

L. W. KNOWLES.

SWITCH OPERATING DEVICE. APPLIOATIQN FILED 1.13.12. 190e.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SWITCH-OPERATING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 11, 1906.

Application led March 12,1906. Serial No. 305.697.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LEwIs W. KNowLns, a citizen of the United States, residing at Augusta, in the county of Kennebec and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Switch-Operating Device, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in switch-operating devices, and more particularly to such as are adapted for use with street-railways, the object of the invention being to provide simple and efficient means whereby a switch can be operated and controlled by the motorman without necessity of moving from his place on the platform of the car.

With this ob j ect in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as hereinafter set forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of a railway-switch,showing the application of my improvements thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line C D of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line A B of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side view of a portion of a car, showing the application of the switch-operating devices thereto. Fig. 5 is anend view of the car and switch-operating devices thereon and the switch devices in section.

The rails of the track are represented at 21, and the pivoted switch-rail is shown at 20. An elongated bar 1 is located on the ties between and parallel with the rails 21 and is provided with an elongated recess, thus forming a box or receptacle for a lever 13, pivoted at one end therein.

A casing 2 projects laterally from the bar 1 near one end of the latter and communicates with the recess in said bar by means of a vertical hole, through which rod 14 passes and has free movement. The upper end of the rod 14 bears against the under face of the lever 13 near the free end of the latter, and at its lower end said rod is pivotally connected to an arm 15, pivotally attached at d to suitable lugs in the enlarged end of casing 2. A pulley 17 is mounted in the casing 2 over the pivoted arm 15, and a similar pulley 18 is mounted at or near the outer end of said casing. A chain 16 is secured at one end to the pivoted arm 15 and after passing upwardly over the pulley 17 is extended outwardly in the casing 2 and passed about the pulley 18, the free end of said chain being secured to a stud 19, movable in an elongated slot in the top of the casing. The stud 19 is secured at c to the pivotal switch-point 20. The switch-point and the operating devices above described are maintained in and `returned to their normal position by a spring 22, located within the casing 2, one end of said spring being secured to a stud 23 and the other end to the stud 19 on the switch-point.

A depending bar 30 is pivotally attached to the car-truck in front of each wheel, and the several bars 30 are connected by a rod 33, so as to cause them to move together when operated in the manner hereinafter described. Each depending bar 30 is provided at its lower end with a spring-pressed shoe 31, provided with a roller 32 to run on the lever 13 between the rails of the track. The depending bar 30 at the forward end of the truck is connected by means of a rod or pitman 29 with a bell-crank lever 28, pivotally attached to the forward end of the carplatform 4, preferably in advance of the dashboard 3. An operating-rod 25 is attached to the forwardly-projecting arm of the bellcranklever and passes upwardly through a slotted guide 26 to a point within easy reach of the motorman on the platform 4. The rod 25 is provided with a tooth 27 to engage the guide 26 to maintain the parts normally in the positions shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, with the depending bar 30 and its shoe out of reach of the switch-operating lever 13.

With the construction and arrangement of parts above described it will be seen that when the motorman releases the rod 25 the depending bar 30 will assume a vertical position and engage an abutment 36 on the truck. When the bar 3() is in this position, the wheel carried by the shoe 31 will engage and depress the lever 13. The movement of the lever 13 will be transmitted, through the rod 14, to the pivoted arm 15, causing the latter to exert a pull on the chain 16 and throw the pivoted point-rail. When pressure on the operating-lever 13 shall have been removed, the parts, including to the pivoted switchpoint, will be returned to their normal positions by the action of the spring 22.

Various slight changes might be made in the details of construction of my invention without departing from the spirit thereof or limiting its scope, and hence I do not wish to limit myself to the precise details herein set forth.

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Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a pivoted switchrail, of a pivoted arm, a liexible connection between said pivoted arm and switch-rail, an operating-lever pivoted between the rails of .the track, a rod between said lever and pivoted arm a spring for returning the switch and operating parts to normal positions, and a device to be carried by a car, for depressing the'operating-lever.

2. The combination with a pivoted switchrail, and an operating-lever pivotally supported between the rails of a track, of a pivoted arm, a vertically-movable rod between said pivoted arm and the operating-lever, pulleys beyond respective sides of the switch-rail, a chain passing over said pulleys and connected with said pivoted arm and the switch-rail, and a device to be carried by a car for depressing the operating-lever.

3. The combination with a pivoted switchrail, of a casing located transversely under the same, an operating-lever between the rails of the track, an arm pivoted in the casing, a rod pivoted to said arm and bearing against the operating-lever, a `lexible connection between said pivoted arm and switchrail for moving the latter in one direction when tlie operating-lever is depressed, a spring for moving the switch-rail and operating in the opposite direction, and a device to be carried by a car for depressing the operating-lever. v

4. The combination with a railway-track and a switch-rail, of an operating-lever located between and parallel with the trackrails and pivotally supported at one end, a pivoted arm below the free end of said lever, a rod pivoted to said arm and bearing against the under side of the operating-lever, a connection between the pivoted arm and switchrail for moving the latter in one direction, a spring for moving the switch-rail and operating devices in the reverse direction, and a device to ble carried by a car for depressing the operating-lever.

5. The combination with a railway-track and a pivoted switch-rail, of a grooved bar located between and parallel with the rails of the track, an operating-lever pivoted at one end in said grooved bar, a transverse casing extending under said bar and under the switch-rail, an arm pivoted in said casing, a rod pivoted to saidarin and extending upwardly through the grooved bar and terminating under the operating-lever, pulleys mounted in said casing, a chain passing over said pulleys and attached at its respective ends to the switch-rail and pivoted arm, a spring` connected with the switch-rail and wi th the casing and a device to be carried by a car for depressing the operating-lever.

6. In switch-operating devices, the combination with a car, a switch-rail, an operatinglever and connections between said operating lever and switch-rail, of a series of bars pivoted to and depending from the car and spaced apart, a spring-pressed shoe carried by each bar for actuating the operating-lever, rod or pitman connection between the depending bars, devices on the car connected with one of said bars for swinging the series of bars and their shoes forwardly out of reach of the operating-lever, and an abutment on the car for said bars when the latter are in position to actuate the operating-lever.

LEWIS W. KNOWLES.

Witnesses:

EDWIN H. LANGsToN,

WM. H. BoYNToN. 

